Olive grading machine



Get. 17, 1950 L. B. SAMMIS "ET AL 2,526,161

OLIVE GRADING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 12, 1948 5 mM a F s L m m j S Y E N R O T T A I I z 1 1 I I 1 z I 1 1 1 u 0 '3 Sheets-Shet 2 L. B. SAMMIS ETAL OLIVE GRADING MACHINE Oct. 17, 1950 Filed April 12,- 1948 1950 L. B. SAMMIS ETAL OLIVE GRADING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1948 .5 Sheets-Sh ee t 3 f 5 Y i 8.. .x

Patented Oct. 17, 1950 UNITED? s'r r s PATENT OFFICE l 'onvs, GRADING MACHINE Louis B. Sammis and Frank R. Hood,

, Wallace, Calif.

. App i ation A ril 12, 94.8,.S lN- 20.445

2 Claims. (01. 209-1102) plurality of cable runs disposed in parallel but 4 spaced relation in a horizontal plane, but with the intermediate one of each three adjacent runs diverging downwardly in a vertical plane in the direction of travel whereby, in effect, providing an olive reception and grading trough having longitudinal side openings of increasingly greater width for the passage therethrough at different points of olives of corresponding size whereby effective size grading'is accomplished.

An additional object of. the invention is to 2 meral' 1 indicates an upstanding elongated main frame. This main frame l supports, at the top thereof, a size grading table, indicated generally at 2; such size grading table being of the type which includes a plurality of longitudinal cable runs supported and actuated in the manner hereinafter described.

The size grading table 2 runs in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. '1, and between upstanding longitudinal side plates 3.

The ungraded supply of olives is fed from a hopper (not shown) bymeans of a chute 4 onto "the lead end of the size grading table -2, and

olives as graded by said table fall into certain ones of a longitudinal row ofreceiving bins 6- having bottoms sloping laterally to feed the various grades of the olives from the .machine onto'correspondi'ngfeed belts or the like (not shown) The bins 5. are defined in part by transverse partitions which maybe adjustable lengthwise of the machine to vary the grade provide an olive grading machine, as in the preceding paragraph, which is arranged for adjustment of the cable runs to increase or .decrease the extent of said divergence, dependent on the general sze of the variety to be and the size grading desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide an olive grading machine which has a high hourly capacity, without the machine being of undue width or len th.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an olive grading machine which is relatively simple and inexpensive in structure, and designed so that the cable wear is minimized.

Another object of the inventionis to provide an efficient olive grading machine adapted to grade all varieties of olives, regardless of general size or shape.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable olive grading machine,- and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

graded.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as willfully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine.

,Fig.. 3 is a diagrammatic view of, the cablesystem.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic cross section, on

line 4-4 of Fig. 1, of the working runs of the cable.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic cross section on line 55 of Fig. l of said working runs of the cable.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings. the mlor olive size received by each bin; the grading table 2 funct oning, as will hereinafter appear,

to grade the olives progressively from the smaller to the larger'sizes-lengthwise of the machine.

The size grading table 2 embodies the major feature of the invention, and is constructed and operates as follows:

main frame I supports cross shafts 8 and 9; said cross shafts being in substantially the same horizontal plane, and at least one of said shafts being driven to impart rotation thereto in the indicated direction. I

Outwardly of the cross shaft 9 the machine includes another crossshaft II), which is vertically adjustably mounted by means of a longitudinally extending, generally U-shaped yoke II which straddles'the grading table and is pivoted at its free ends. as at l2, to the cross shaft 8 for vertical adjustment.

The cross shaft ID is journaled on the yoke l l adjacent but short of the forward or closed end I3 of the yoke. An upstanding adjustment screw I4 is mounted in connection with the closed end l3 of the yoke and bears against a plate l5 fixed in connection with the main frame I.

.By adjustment of the screw I 4 in one direction or the other, the yoke l I is raised or lowered 'to correspondingly raise or lower the cross shaft alternately on the cross shaft 9 and cross shaft H); the sheaves on the cross shaft 9 being indicated at ll, and the sheaves on the cross shaft Ii! being indicated at [8. The sheaves l1 and i8 are in direct alinement longitudinally of the machine with corresponding ones of the sheaves and forth in the machine between the sheaves l6 and the corresponding sheaves H or 18 at the opposite end of the machine, whereby to provide a plurality of longitudinally extending upper A single endless length of cable is reeved back 2 I cable runs, indicated generally at 9. The upper course variable by adjustment of the yoke H by means of the adjusting screw 14.

With the above arrangement, each three adjacent cable runs l9,-comprising a pair 20 on sheaves IT and an intermediate run 2! on an intermediate sheaveiS, form a longitudinal, olive reception and grading trough, indicated diagrammatically at 22. Each such trough 22, as defined by three lengthwise cable runs, includes longitudinal side openings 23 which increasein width lengthwise of the machine from its head or starting end.

As the olives feed from the chute 4 onto the described size grading table 2, which travelsin-the direction-indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, "said olives fall into the grading troughs 22' and travel along-therewith until theever-increasing width -of the side openings 23 permits the olives to escape from the cables and drop into the receiving bins 5. The partitions l are set so that olives of predetermined size fall into certain ones of the bins.

The action of the size grading table 2 will be thus fully understood, particularly upon examination of Figs. 4 and 5. The ever-increasing divergence of the intermediate cable runs 2| relative to the corresponding pair of horizontal cable runs29 of each trough 22 produces an eifective size grading of the olives as they travel along the table 2; the smaller sizes being graded out first, followed by olives of ever increasing size.

The design of the machine, particularly with respect to the cable type size grading table 2 is such that it works in a practical and effective manner on all types of olives, whether the round type or the oblong type; it being interesting to note that oblong type olives, once in the grading troughs 22, roll end ever end lengthwise while riding the intermediate cable run 2|, until the side openings 23 permit their escape. In this manner grading of oblongolives, heretofore a problem, is accomplished with aminimum of variation from 7 grade.

The idler sheaves 21 are journaled on a fixed cross shaft 29 which extends between the side plates 3, and said sheaves 21 carry the cable runs 20 which extend between the sheaves l6 and H. The sheaves 28 are carried on a cross shaft 30 which is mounted, at its ends, in connection with the legs of the yoke H, whereby to rise and fall with the latter; said sheaves 28 carrying the intermediate cable runs 2|, which extend between the sheaves IG and the sheaves I8.

The above described olive grading machine prorides for very practical and accurate size grading of olives, accomplishing the result by means of a grading table which is not excessive in length or .in Width. Additionally, the adjustment of the grading table for handling olives of generally different sizes, or for accomplishing grading of predetermined sizes at different points lengthwise of said table, requires only a simple manual adjustment of the screw l4.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice-such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do -.-notform a departure from the spirit of the invention, as de fined by the appended claims. I

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A grading machine comprising a supporting frame, a pair of shafts journaled on the frame and spaced apart longitudinally thereof to provide a first shaft and a second shaft, said shafts lying in substantially the same horizontal plane, sheaves fixed totne first'shaft in transversely spaced apart relation, a sheave fixed on the second shaft disposed in alinement with eachalternate sheave on the first shaft, a substantially U shaped yoke, said yoke straddling the supporting frame and having the free ends of its arms pivoted on the first shaft, the closed end of said yoke being disposed at a point outwardly of the second shaft, a third shaft mounted in the yoke outwardly of the second shaft and lying in a lower horizontal plane with respect thereto, a sheave fixed on the third shaft in alinement with each of the sheaves on the first shaft which lie between the sheaves with which-the sheaves on the second shaft are alined, a driven belt extending about each pair of alined sheaves, and means for V vertically adjusting the position of the yoke about its journal axis. i

2. A machine as in claim 1 in which said last named means comprises a vertically disposed adjustment screw threaded through the closed end of the yoke and impinging at its lower end against a part of the supporting frame, I

LOUIS, B. SAMMIS. FRANK R. H0011,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 223,410 Taylor Jan. 6, 1880 1,466,764 Spencer Sept. 4, 1923 1,735,795 Robbins Nov. 12, 1929 1,888,709 Whisnand Nov. 22, 1932 1,969,132; Kimsey et a1. Aug. 7, 1934 

